PAP-PSC High-Level Retreat Ends with Bold Commitments to Joint Action on Peace and Security

The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) and the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) concluded a landmark high-level retreat in Midrand with a firm resolve to strengthen institutional collaboration and jointly address the growing threats to peace, security, and democratic governance across the African continent. The two-day meeting, held under the theme “Harnessing Parliamentary Engagements for Peace and Security in Africa,” brought together parliamentarians, ambassadors, AU officials, and peace practitioners in a frank and forward-looking exchange.

From the opening session, it was clear that this was no ordinary retreat. The President of the Pan-African Parliament, H.E. Chief Fortune Charumbira, set the tone by underscoring the urgency of bridging the gap between continental decisions and the daily realities faced by African citizens. “We gather here not merely for another dialogue,” he declared. “We must produce concrete mechanisms that translate our shared vision into visible results for the African people.”

Echoing this sentiment, the Chairperson of the PSC, H.E. Ambassador Rebecca Otengo Amuge of Uganda, emphasized the shared constitutional obligations of the two organs under Articles 17 and 18 of the AU Constitutive Act and the PSC Protocol. She noted that PAP, as the only AU organ composed of directly elected representatives, must play a central role in translating continental peace initiatives into local ownership and action.

A Shared Diagnosis of Africa’s Security Landscape

The meeting offered a sobering assessment of the security challenges facing the continent. Delegates from both PAP and PSC highlighted the persistence of violent extremism, terrorism, transnational organized crime, climate-induced insecurity, and a troubling wave of unconstitutional changes in government. Six AU Member States currently remain suspended due to coups, with some transitions stretching over a decade.

Sudan, South Sudan, the Sahel, and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were repeatedly cited as hotspots requiring urgent attention. Participants decried the increasing reliance on external actors to mediate African conflicts, citing the Rwanda-DRC and Sudan peace tracks as examples of missed opportunities for African-led solutions. “Why are African problems being solved in Doha or Washington?” one parliamentarian asked. “Where is the AU when the continent bleeds?”

Yet, amidst the gloom, there were moments of cautious optimism. Ethiopia’s relative calm following the Pretoria peace agreement and Somalia’s transition from ATMIS to a stabilization phase were flagged as cases where African mediation had borne fruit. The challenge, many agreed, was ensuring these gains were sustained and replicated elsewhere.

Key Outcomes: Elevating PAP’s Role in Peace and Security

A major highlight of the retreat was the consensus on enhancing PAP’s involvement in AU peace and security mechanisms. A resolution adopted at the end of the meeting outlined key commitments, including:

• Formal inclusion of PAP Members in AU Peace Missions and Election Observation Missions (EOMs);
• Institutionalization of joint field missions, fact-finding initiatives, and early warning efforts;
• Development of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and a Joint Working Group to coordinate annual strategic engagements;
• Lobbying for the ratification and domestication of AU legal instruments, such as ACDEG and the African Children’s Charter, in national legislatures;
• Advocacy for sustainable financing of African-led peacekeeping operations and the operationalization of the AU Peace Fund;
• Regular joint briefings, scorecards, and monitoring frameworks to assess the implementation of peace and security decisions across the continent.

Delegates also urged PAP to intensify its legislative and advocacy roles by pushing for inclusive governance reforms, combating constitutional manipulation, and reinforcing the rule of law through national parliaments. Special emphasis was placed on youth and women’s participation in political processes as a strategic antidote to insecurity.

Toward a People-Centered Peace Architecture

The narrative that ran through all the sessions was clear: peace and security cannot be achieved without the people of Africa. Parliamentarians stressed that PAP must serve as the link between policy decisions taken in Addis Ababa and the lived experiences of African citizens in villages, towns, and cities. “The guns will not fall silent,” one speaker warned, “until the people are allowed to raise their voices through representative institutions.”

In that spirit, the retreat endorsed proposals for PAP to serve as a conduit for grassroots intelligence and community feedback, feeding into the AU’s early warning systems. Proposals were also made for PAP to host public hearings on security issues, conduct oversight of AU peace operations, and mobilize civil society actors in conflict prevention efforts.

Looking Ahead

As the curtains fell on the Midrand retreat, participants expressed cautious hope that the new commitments would not remain paper promises. A roadmap of immediate actions—including a six-month taskforce, liaison appointments, and joint retreats—was tabled to kickstart the process. The vision is bold: a reinvigorated partnership where PAP moves from the margins to the center of Africa’s peace and security discourse.

The joint retreat affirmed that while the challenges are immense, so too are the opportunities. As Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, aptly stated, “When we work together, we can make things happen. The future of Africa’s peace lies in our collective hands.”